How Does Therapy Work and Could It Help You?

If you've been struggling with anxiety, low mood, relationship issues, or relentless overthinking, you're probably wondering if therapy really works—and if it could help you personally. In this article, I'll walk you through how psychotherapy works, the types available, and why it might be a transformative choice for you.

A Quick History of Psychotherapy: From Freud to Today

Sigmund Freud Psychoanalysis Couch

Psychotherapy began in the late 1800s with Sigmund Freud’s groundbreaking "talking cure," which evolved into psychoanalysis. Over the decades, therapy grew into multiple approaches, most commonly Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic therapy, and Humanistic therapy.

Types of Psychotherapy and What They Offer

Psychodynamic Therapy: Understanding Your Past

Psychodynamic therapy focuses on your childhood experiences, attachment patterns, and unconscious thoughts that shape your current emotions and behaviours. If you frequently wonder why certain problems keep resurfacing in your life or relationships, this approach can offer powerful insights. It can reveal deeper reasons behind anxiety, relationship conflicts, or persistent low moods, enabling you to break unhealthy cycles. Studies confirm that psychodynamic therapy provides lasting benefits, particularly with complex emotional struggles.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Practical Techniques for Immediate Relief

If you're looking for concrete tools to tackle specific issues like anxiety, panic attacks, or overthinking, CBT could be highly effective. CBT helps identify and chalenge negative thought patterns and teaches you practical skills to manage overwhelming feelings and reduce anxiety symptoms. Often used within NHS settings for quick relief, CBT typically involves a shorter duration (around 5–15 sessions) but equips you with techniques you can use throughout your life.

Humanistic Therapy: Supportive Relationship and Personal Growth

Humanistic therapy, including approaches like person-centred therapy, emphasises building a strong, supportive therapeutic relationship. It's less about assigning homework and more about creating a non-judgmental environment where you feel genuinely heard and understood. Feeling acepted and supported can dramatically improve self-esteem, help you reconnect with your authentic self, and resolve feelings of loneliness or alienation.

Integrative Therapy: Personalised and Flexible Approach

Integrative therapy combines different therapeutic methods, such as psychodynamic, CBT, and humanistic approaches, to create a flexible, personalised treatment tailored specifically to your needs. Instead of adhering strictly to one method, integrative psychotherapy allows us to adapt the approach depending on your concerns, preferences, and goals.

At Mind Journey, my integrative approach means we can simultaneously explore your past experiences to uncover deeper emotional patterns, equip you with practical tools to manage anxiety or negative thoughts, and foster a genuinely supportive therapeutic relationship that boosts your self-esteem and well-being.

This holistic style is ideal if you’re experiencing multiple issues, like anxiety combined with relationship struggles or persistent low mood, as it gives us flexibility to address both immediate symptoms and underlying causes effectively.

What Does Research Say? Is Therapy Effective?

The short answer is yes—therapy really does help. According to extensive research in the UK, Europe, and the US, psychotherapy significantly improves mental health outcomes:

• Therapy helps: On average, about 75% of people show measurable improvements in their mental health after therapy.

• Long-lasting impact: Unlike medications alone, therapy offers lasting change, reducing the risk of relapse.

• Strong therapist-client relationship matters most: Research consistently shows that the quality of the therapeutic relationship (feeling heard, understood, and safe) is one of the strongest predictors of success.

How Long Does Therapy Take? Short-Term vs. Long-Term

The duration of psychotherapy varies based on your needs. NHS services typically provide brief, structured interventions—often around 6 to 12 sesions—to quickly address immediate symptoms. However, for lasting changes, deeper understanding, and more comprehensive emotional healing, many people choose longer-term therapy.

Long-term therapy is especially beneficial for complex issues like chronic anxiety, deeply rooted relationship struggles, or repeated low moods. Research highlights that while short-term therapy can offer rapid symptom relief, long-term therapy tends to provide broader, more profound personal growth and sustained improvements in quality of life.

At Mind Journey, I specialise in providing longer-term therapy when beneficial. Together, we have the space to explore your patterns, understand your inner world, and build lasting emotional resilience.

Could Therapy at Mind Journey Be Right for You?

If you're a UK-based professional facing anxiety, stress, relationship difficulties, or periods of low mood, therapy can offer a powerful way forward. At Mind Journey, therapy is personalised, integrative, and designed around you—helping you break cycles of anxiety and overthinking, improve your relationships, and enhance your overall mental well-being.

I'm here to help. If you're curious about therapy, feel free to reach out to arrange an initial, completely free session. This gives us the chance to learn about each other and explore if we're a good fit to begin your journey toward a healthier, happier life.